Terrifying prison behavior of killer cannibal who ate victim’s eye and brain.. and who will soon be freed

A killer cannibal who was granted early conditional release from a psychiatric hospital had a worrying history of violence while committed, new documents reveal.

Tyree Smith, 35, brutally murdered Angel Gonzalez with a hatchet before dismembering him and eating part of his brain and eyeball in 2011.

The so-called ‘Connecticut Cannibal’ was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was ordered to be held at Whiting Forensic Hospital for 60 years in 2013.

But now he has been released after serving a fraction of that time, leaving Gonzalez’s family outraged.

Their anger has been compounded by Connecticut Department of Corrections documents obtained by News 8 which show that Smith has a history of infractions from his time in custody.

This includes an incident where Smith beat an inmate following a verbal altercation and had to be separated from the rest of the prisoners.

‘It angers me and it shocks me because the whole time you’re in jail you’re pleading insanity but yet you’re still doing something violent to another person,’ Talitha Frazier, Gonzalez’s sister-in-law told News 8.

The documents reveal how Smith exploded at the inmate, shoved him to the ground and hit him in the face even though his victim did not fight back.

Following the incident, Smith’s prison file was stamped with a warning.

‘The inmate’s presence poses a serious threat to life, property, other inmates, or facility security,’ the notice read. 

Smith was also found in possession of contraband, although the nature of this was not disclosed.

He has been granted an early release after the state’s psychiatric review board determined that Smith has been rehabilitated.

‘It’s a tragedy he harmed another person and I’d like to know why this wasn’t brought up when he went for his hearing,’ Frazier said. 

She added that Smith was set to be released on Gonzalez’s birthday, bringing fresh heartbreak for the family.

‘He gets to reunite with his family, and April 25 was Angel’s birthday. He turned 57, we didn’t get to see him, we only have ashes, and it hurts,’ Frazier added.

Smith was sentenced to 60 years in a psychiatric hospital, but a review board determined in September 2023 that his auditory and visual hallucinations had stopped.

Doctors said that Smith was a ‘joy’ to be around and provided support for the other patients.

They added that the medication had ‘stabilized’ Smith and he was no longer hearing voices in his head that told him to incite violence.

Dr Caren Teitelbaum, a forensic psychiatrist told the review board that once Smith was stable, he had a ‘calming presence’.

‘We got blindsided. We got hit with a big one,’ Frazier told local ABC affiliate WFSB News when recalling her and her family’s reaction to Smith’s release.

‘I truly believe the voices in his head that he’s hearing are telling him, “Tell the doctors you don’t hear us, so you can get out”.’

Frazier is not accepting an apology from Smith for murdering Gonzalez, a homeless man who had let Smith into the apartment he was squatting in to escape the cold.

‘It’s not fair. He gets to be in contact with his son, reunite with his son. He now gets to talk to his dad, Frazier told WFSB.

‘Well I don’t get to talk to my brother-in-law… so sorry. I don’t want his apology. He’d have to talk to God about that.’

Smith has been reintegrating into society since September 2023 when he was placed in a group home on ‘temporary leave’ from the hospital.

‘Tyree Smith is an individual with a psychiatric illness requiring care, custody and treatment,’ the report detailing his leave read.

‘Since his last hearing, Tyree Smith has continued to demonstrate clinical stability. Mr. Smith is medication compliant, actively engaged in all recommended forms of treatment and has been symptom-free for many years.’

After his stay in the group home, the review board determined on February 21 that Smith was ready for a conditional release.

Even though Smith will be allowed back into the community, he will have strict limitations.